FAMAS 2015 Election Rules Regulations and Procedures

Transcription

FAMAS 2015 Election Rules Regulations and Procedures
FAMAS Election Rules,
Regulations and
Procedures
[For the 2015 FAMAS General Elections]
FAMAS Committee on Elections (COMELEC) 2015-2017
[May 15, 2015]
FAMAS Election Rules, Regulations and Procedures
Note: These Election Rules, Regulations and Procedures are in effect only for the 2015 elections.
ARTICLE I – ELIGIBILITY AND CANDIDACY
Section 1 – A person who wants to be a candidate in the 2015 Elections must be a registered
member. A candidate must be qualified as of the day he or she files his or her certificate of
candidacy and must remain qualified throughout the election period and if elected, until officially
declared elected by the FAMAS Committee on Elections (COMELEC).
Section 2 – To be eligible to run for office, a person must be a bonafide/registered member of FAMAS
as stated in Article Vlll, Section 5 of its Constitution and Bylaws.
Section 3 - To be recognized by the COMELEC, a candidate must:
 file a Certificate of Candidacy and pay the required filing fee no later than 5:00 P.M., June 15,
2015 at the Philippine (FAMAS) Community Center, 4708 Van Horne, Montreal.
 attend an orientation meeting on July 20, 2015, 2:00 – 4:00 P.M at the FAMAS Center.
Section 4 – All required forms must be submitted to the COMELEC at the Philippine Community
Center by the candidates themselves.
ARTICLE II – CANDIDATES FOR EXECUTIVE BOARD
Section 1 – To have his or her name placed on the ballot, a prospective candidate must complete a
Certificate of Candidacy Form by the June 15, 2015 deadline.
Section 2 – The completed Certificate of Candidacy Form shall consist of the candidate's full
name, residence address, mailing address, home phone number, work phone number, cell phone
number, email address, member identification number, and position for which candidacy is being
applied for.
COMELEC 2015 OFFICIAL RULES, REGULATIONS & PROCEDURES
Page 2 of 18
Section 3 – Candidates running as a party must submit one Slate Identification Form in addition
to their individual Certificate of Slate Candidacy forms. Parties, if registered, shall be recognized
on the ballot.
Section 4 – Candidates for the Executive Board may run independently or in a slate under a
party.
Section 5 – Executive Board candidates who run as a party must run with all of the following
positions: President, Vice President for Internal Affairs, Vice President for External Affairs,
Secretary, Treasurer, Auditor, Accountant, Public Relations Officer, Director of Educational, Social
and Cultural Affairs, Director of Membership, Director of Sports and Youth Development,
Director of Outreach Services, and Director of Special Projects.
Section 6 – If any registered political party is unable to fill up the whole slate, its candidates
may still run for office. However, the name of their party will not appear on the ballot and its
candidates will be regarded as independents.
Section 7 – A vote for an individual candidate of the party is for that candidate only and shall
not be counted as a vote for the entire slate.
Section 8 – Once the filing deadline has passed, candidates may not switch parties. New
parties may not be formed after the filing deadline.
Section 9 – If a candidate for Executive Board who is affiliated with a party rescinds his/her
candidacy, the party has to replace him within 72 hours or no later than July 18 with a
registered/bonafide member not already running for an office.
section 10 Under no circumstances may a candidate rescind candidacy for one position and
then seek candidacy for another position in the same election.
Section 11- candidates may list their party affiliations and running mates in any campaign
materials.
Section 12- if there is only one candidate for any particular office, the candidates hall be
declared elected by acclamation.
Section 13-if there is no candidate for any particular office, that position shall be declared
vacant . Under that circumstance, the newly elected Executive Board once in office, may fill
up the vacant position.
Section 14- Substitute candidate shall be regarded as write in candidate. A write in
candidate is a candidate whose name does not appear on the ballot, but for whom voters
may vote nonetheless by writing in the person’s name on the space provided for such
candidate.
Section 16 – The COMELEC shall proclaim the winning candidates.
COMELEC 2015 OFFICIAL RULES, REGULATIONS & PROCEDURES
Page 3 of 18
ARTICLE III – FILING FEES FOR CANDIDATES
Section 1 - At the time of filing a certificate of candidacy for any office, all candidates must
pay a non refundable fee of $100.00
ARTICLE IV – POLITICAL PARTIES
Section 1 – Political party defined: For the purpose of FAMAS elections, a political party is an
organization one of whose fundamental purposes is to participate in FAMAS affairs by
endorsing one or more of its members as candidates and supporting their election to FAMAS
Executive Board.
Section 2 – A political party may not necessarily be regulated by the COMELEC, but once a party
exists, it may apply to be registered.
Section 3 – Party name on the ballot: The name of the registered party shall appear on the
ballot, together with the name of said party’s candidate, in the election he or she is running in.
If a candidate is either not endorsed by a registered party or endorsed by an unregistered party,
the candidate shall have the word “Independent” under his or her name on the ballot.
Section 4 – Applying for registration: A political party that wishes to participate in an election
may apply to register with the COMELEC. The application for registration must be signed by the
party leader and must include:
 the full name of the political party
 either the party’s short-form name or the abbreviation of the party’s name, if any,
which will appear on election documents such as the ballot
 the party’s logo, if any
 the name and address of the party’s leader
 the address of the party’s office where records are kept and to which communications
may be addressed
 the names, addresses and signatures of at least twenty-five (25) FAMAS regular
COMELEC 2015 OFFICIAL RULES, REGULATIONS & PROCEDURES
Page 4 of 18
members of good standing and their declarations in the prescribed form that they are
members of the party and support the party’s application for registration
Section 5 – To confirm the accuracy of the leader’s declaration about the party’s fundamental
purposes, the COMELEC may ask the leader to provide further relevant information.
Section 6 – Restrictions on party name: The name, short-form name, abbreviation or logo of
the political party applying for registration must not so resemble the name, short-form name,
abbreviation or logo of another party as to be confused with it. If the party intends to adopt
English, French and Tagalog version of its name, all versions must be submitted with the
application.
Section 7 – Once the COMELEC has verified the party’s application [confirming that twenty-five
(25) voters are members of the party and that the party has met all the other requirements],
and is satisfied that the party’s name and logo will not be confused with those of another
registered or eligible party, the COMELEC will inform the party leader that the party is eligible
for registration.
Section 8 – The party can lose its eligibility for registration for any of the following reasons:
 the COMELEC is not satisfied that the party has updated its application information
when required
 the party fails to endorse a confirmed candidate at a general election
 the party does not have the minimum number of officers
 the party does not have a minimum number of members who are eligible voters
Section 9 – Merging registered parties: Two or more registered parties may apply to the
COMELEC to merge their parties and become a single registered party.
Section 10 – Voluntary deregistration – At any time other than during the election period of a
general election, a registered political party may voluntarily apply to become deregistered.
Section 11 – Involuntary deregistration – A party will be deregistered if it fails to endorse a
confirmed candidate at a general election.
Section 12 – The COMELEC must deregister a registered party if that party:
 fails to satisfy the Committee that it has at least two officers in addition to the leader of
the party
COMELEC 2015 OFFICIAL RULES, REGULATIONS & PROCEDURES
Page 5 of 18
 fails to satisfy the COMELEC that it has at least twenty-five (25) members who are
qualified voters of FAMAS
Section 13 – The COMELEC will give notice of deregistration of a registered party to the leader
of the party.
Section 14 – For six months after the deregistration of a party, the COMELEC will retain the
name, short-form name, abbreviation and logo of the deregistered party so that another
political party cannot apply for registration under that name.
Section 15 - A deregistered party can reapply for registration at any time. If it applies for
registration within six months period, it may apply under the same name, short-form name,
abbreviation and logo that it had at the time of its deregistration.
ARTICLE V – CAMPAIGN ACTIVITIES
Section 1 – Campaigning is any activity that promotes a candidate or party in association with
an election. Campaigning includes, but is not limited to, the distribution of streamers, banners,
posters and palm cards, the publishing of web content, door-to-door canvassing, emailing,
public announcements, and telephone canvassing.
Section 2 – Candidates must comply with all the election rules, regulations and procedures set
forth in this 2013 FAMAS Election Rules, Regulations and Procedures.
Section 3 – Candidates may not knowingly misrepresent any factual information about
themselves, or attack another candidate's character in any way.
Section 4 – Discriminatory, obscene, sexually suggestive, drug and alcohol related, and
generally offensive content is prohibited.
Section 5 – No member of the Executive Board or the Board of Trustees, either running for an
office or not, may use his or her position to campaign for him-/herself or any other candidate.
Actions considered inappropriate include, but are not limited to, the following:
 Use of FAMAS e-mail facilities or properties to promote a candidate
 Expressing one's support for a candidate while acting officially in his/her capacity as a
member of the Executive Board or the Board of Trustees.
Section 6 – On Election Day, vote solicitation is not allowed within 100 feet of the polling place.
Candidates and supporters must remain 100 feet away from the voting stations except when
COMELEC 2015 OFFICIAL RULES, REGULATIONS & PROCEDURES
Page 6 of 18
actually casting their votes. Any further restrictions on vote solicitation can be instituted on
Election Day at the discretion of the COMELEC.
ARTICLE VI – CAMPAIGN MATERIALS
Section 1 – All sections of this article apply to Campaign materials .
Section 2 – Campaign materials may not:
 Be libelous, inflammatory, made in bad faith, in bad taste, or discriminatory
 Contain any foul, obscene, sexual, homophobic, or discriminatory language
 Infringe on other people’s rights
 Promote violence or suggestive themes
Section 3 – Political campaign supplies, including Sample Ballots, may be distributed outside the
50 feet radius of the polling place but must contain the statement -- "Paid for and Authorized
by (name of candidate or name of candidate's campaign committee or name of political party
committee or name and address of person responsible)".
Section 4 – Sample paper ballots cannot be printed on white paper and must contain the words
SAMPLE BALLOT in type no smaller than size twenty-four point.
Section 5 – Voters are allowed to carry Sample Ballots and campaign supplies into the polling
place.
Section 6 – Negative campaigning discourages participation in FAMAS elections and is therefore
not allowed. Attacking other candidates may result in penalties or even disqualifications.
Section 7 – The COMELEC has the right to withhold approval of any campaign materials, or
apply penalties to candidates using inappropriate campaign materials.
Section 8 – Candidates may submit any campaign materials to the COMELEC for pre-screening
of content. The COMELEC will certify submitted materials as allowable or will identify nonallowable aspects. Pre-clearance is not required for any materials other than streamers,
banners, posters and palm cards.
Section 9 – Candidates may not damage, destroy, obscure, move or otherwise limit access to
campaign materials produced by others. Protected materials include other parties' streamers,
COMELEC 2015 OFFICIAL RULES, REGULATIONS & PROCEDURES
Page 7 of 18
banners, posters, palm cards, web content, and e-mails. Protected materials also include those
produced by independent groups that promote a candidate or the elections in general (e.g.
copies of any local Filipino newspapers that include articles or endorsements concerning the
election).
Section 10 – Beginning June 22 at 9:00 A.M., the day the list of potential candidates will have
been posted on FAMAS Bulletin Board at FAMAS Community Center and on FAMAS website,
and continuing through July 15, the day the official list of all candidates will have been posted
on the FAMAS Bulletin Board at FAMAS Community Center and on FAMAS website, a
moratorium on the distribution of campaign materials will be in effect. During the moratorium
period, no streamers, banners, posters or palm cards may be hung up, distributed, moved, or
used in any other fashion.
Section 11- Campaign materials shall contain only one independent candidate.
Section 12– The campaigning period will begin at 12:01 A.M. on July 16. No campaigning
activities, as laid out in sections of Articles III and IV, may take place prior to this date.
Candidates or supporters may not advance their candidacy or the candidacy of any other
candidate or party in the election prior to the start of the campaigning period. All forms of
campaigning as laid out in Sections III and IV are strictly prohibited during the moratorium
period.
ARTICLE VII – RESTRICTIONS ON PUBLICITY
Section 1 – Flyposting is illegal in the city of Montreal, along with other forms of defacement
such as the use of stickers or graffiti. Campaigning in this way not only makes you liable to
prosecution but also damages the relationship between FAMAS and the City. As such, it will also
make you subject to sanctions from the COMELEC.
Section 2 – Campaign websites and blogs are acceptable and encouraged. You must be careful,
however, not to violate rules on your public statements or do anything else that you would not
be allowed to do on flyers or other printed materials.
Section 3 – At polling stations: No item of publicity can be displayed within fifty feet of a ballot
box. There should be no campaign materials, except sample ballots, that a voter may carry to
the voting booth to assist him/her in voting, in order to ensure that this rule is complied with.
Section 4 – Cell phones or any electronic transmitting device in the polling place.
COMELEC 2015 OFFICIAL RULES, REGULATIONS & PROCEDURES
Page 8 of 18
ARTICLE XVIII- PRESENTATION OF CANDIDATES
Section 1-all candidates shall be presented at the annual Pista sa Nayon festivities
ARTICLE IX – CANDIDATE DEBATES
Section 1 – The COMELEC may, if time will permit, hold at least one candidate debate for
presidential and vice-presidential candidates. All candidates for various positions may attend
the entirety of the debate.
Section 2 – The presidential/vice-presidential debate will consist of the following components:
Opening Statements: All candidates will have three minutes.
Question and Answer:
Independent Questions: All candidates will be asked to respond to questions from the
COMELEC or independent groups of the Committee's choosing (e.g. community media,
community political organizations, etc.)
Candidate Questions: All candidates will be asked to respond to questions posed by their
opponents. Candidates must submit questions they wish to ask their opponents to
the COMELEC for pre-screening. The COMELEC will certify the questions based on
their compliance with Article III.
Audience Questions: Candidates will be asked to respond to questions posed by the
audience.
Section 3 – COMELEC members will moderate the forum.
ARTICLE X – RULE VIOLATIONS
Section 1 – Allegations of rules violation must be submitted to the COMELEC within 72 hours
after the discovery of the violation. The complainant or complainants shall furnish the
alleged violators with a copy of their complaint.
Section 2 – The submission must clearly identify the rule allegedly violated and the specific
COMELEC 2015 OFFICIAL RULES, REGULATIONS & PROCEDURES
Page 9 of 18
action alleged to constitute the rule violation. All supporting evidence and/or documentation
must be submitted to the COMELEC at the same time. The alleged violator(s) will be allowed to
submit within 72 hours a rebuttal to the charges either in person or via email.
Section 3 – The COMELEC will investigate the complaint using all submitted information and
any additional information it deems necessary. The COMELEC may call a hearing to investigate
the violation.
Section 4 – The decision of the COMELEC is final.
Section 5 – Adjudication of alleged rule violations will follow the following timeline:
 From the time that a rule violation form is submitted, the accused party will have 24
hours to file a rebuttal.
 From the time that a rebuttal is filed, the COMELEC will rule on the allegation within 48
hours.
 A party's failure to comply with a deadline will constitute a waiver of their right to file a
rebuttal.
Section 6 – Substantiated complaints of voter harassment or badgering during the moratorium
period (June 22-July 15, 2015) will result in automatic disqualification of a candidate from the
election.
ARTICLE XI– WITHDRAWAL OF CANDIDACY AND SUBSTITUTE CANDIDATES
Section 1 – Withdrawal of Candidacy – Any candidate who desires to withdraw his or her
candidacy may, at any time seven days before Election Day, submit an accomplished
Withdrawal of Candidacy Form to the COMELEC.
Section 2 – In case a candidate dies or incapacitated after the last day of filing of Certificate of
Candidacy, he may be substituted by a candidate belonging to and nominated by the same
political party.
Section 3 – The substitute candidate nominated by the political party concerned may file his
Certificate of Candidacy as herein provided for the office affected not later than three days
before the Election Day. In case of death or incapacitation which occurs between the day
before the election and mid-day of the day of elections, the substitute candidate may file the
COMELEC 2015 OFFICIAL RULES, REGULATIONS & PROCEDURES
Page 10 of 18
certificate with any member of the COMELEC.
Section 4 – No person who has withdrawn his candidacy for a position will be eligible as
substitute candidate for any other position.
Section 5 – No substitution will be allowed for an independent candidate.
Section 6 – If a candidate withdraws, dies or incapacitated after the ballots have been printed,
an announcement regarding their withdrawal, death or incapacitation will be posted in the
Bulletin Board in the polling place and in the voting booths for the benefit of the voters.
Section 7 – Any votes cast in favor of a withdrawn, dead or disqualified candidate will be
declared null and void and will not be counted.
Section 8 – The names and the political parties of the substitute candidates and the offices they
are running for will be posted in the voting booths for the benefit of the voters.
ARTICLE XII– DATE AND PLACE OF ELECTIONS
Section 1 – The COMELEC, in consultation with the Executive Board and in consonance with the
pertinent provisions of the FAMAS Constitution and Bylaws, set the date of the elections on
August 9, 2015.
Section 2 – The election shall be held at Van Horne Parc as decided by the Executive Board.
Section 3 - No activities shall be held at the polling place on Election Day other than the
elections of candidates to the FAMAS Executive Board. Election Day and the polling place shall
be for FAMAS elections alone.
Section 4 – The COMELEC may deputize a person or group of persons to provide security
throughout the election process. They will be provided with appropriate identification tags that
they must wear while performing their duties.
ARTICLE XIII – CAMPAIGN POLL VOLUNTEERS
Section 1 – Candidates’ poll volunteers must be outside 50 feet of any entrance to the building
in which the polling place is located.
Section 2 – There is no limit to the number of candidates’ poll volunteers allowed outside the
polling place.
COMELEC 2015 OFFICIAL RULES, REGULATIONS & PROCEDURES
Page 11 of 18
Section 3 – Candidates’ poll volunteers cannot hinder or delay a person from entering or
leaving a polling place.
Section 4 – Loudspeakers cannot be used within 200 feet of any polling place.
ARTICLE XIV– AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVES
Section 1 – Each political party is allowed a representative for each registration book who may
remain in the polling place during the election process. No more than two representatives for
each party are allowed in the polling place.
Section 2 – An authorized list of representatives should be given to the COMELEC; or a written
statement should be given to each Representative to show at the polling place. Representatives
can be set up on a shift basis by the party or independent candidate.
Section 3 – The representative cannot in any way hinder or delay a voter from voting.
Section 4 – The representative cannot give or display a ballot, ticket or other campaign
material.
Section 5 – The representative cannot influence any person in casting his ballot.
Section 6 – The representative cannot hinder or delay any officer of elections.
Section 7 – The representative cannot sit at the registration table with members of the
COMELEC but should be placed behind the registration table.
Section 8 – A representative may mark or write his own list of those who have voted. The
COMELEC cannot provide any lists to representatives.
Section 9 – A representative must be a qualified voter as appears in the official list of voters.
Section 10 – As a qualified voter, the representative may challenge a voter who is suspected or
known not to be duly qualified. The challenged voter will be offered an oath by a COMELEC
member. If the voter subscribes to the oath he or she must be allowed to vote in the normal
manner. If the voter refuses to take the oath he or she will not be allowed to vote.
Challenges should not be made frivolously.
Section 11 – A voter who is physically unable to vote his or her own ballot may be assisted, if he
or she so requests, by an officer of elections or other person of his or her choice who is not a
candidate in the current elections, a member of the Executive Board or of the Board of
COMELEC 2015 OFFICIAL RULES, REGULATIONS & PROCEDURES
Page 12 of 18
Trustees. The person assisting any such voter must take an oath to vote as the voter directs and
not to reveal how the voter voted.
Section 12 – All representatives will be provided with identification tags that they must wear
while they are performing their duties.
Section 13 – The COMELEC may remove any representative who does not adhere to the
aforementioned guidelines.
ARTICLE XV– WATCHERS AT CLOSE OF POLLS
Section 1 – Each political party may have two watchers and an independent may have one
watcher at the polling place to witness the counting of ballots and ascertainment of results. The
watchers must be qualified voters of FAMAS.
Section 2 – Watcher must have a written statement signed by his party chairman or the
independent candidate he represents which should be presented to the COMELEC.
This watcher may be someone other than the authorized representatives used while the polls
are open.
Section 3 – The watcher cannot leave until the final results are ascertained and the Chairman of
the COMELEC has opened the doors and announced the results of the election. There are no
exceptions to this rule.
Section 4 – Watchers may witness counting and ascertainment of results but may not touch or
handle any ballot, voting equipment or official document.
Section 5 – The watchers will be provided with appropriate identification tags that they must
wear while performing their duties.
ARTICLE XVI– REPORTING OF ALLEGED ELECTION DAY PROBLEMS
Section 1 – Any alleged voting discrepancies should be reported to the COMELEC at the time
they occur. If complaints are received at the time they occur corrective action, if necessary, can
be made. If reports are not made until the election is completed, there is little to do to remedy
the situation.
COMELEC 2015 OFFICIAL RULES, REGULATIONS & PROCEDURES
Page 13 of 18
ARTICLE XVII – ADVANCE VOTING
Section 1 – Any registered voter can vote during advance voting. All voters may vote in
advance, just like they are voting on Election Day.
Section 2 – Any registered voter who wants to vote in advance will be asked to identify him- or
herself with either a driver's license or some other generally recognized photo ID that has his or
her name and signature.
Section 3 – Advance voting shall be on Saturday, August 1, 2015 from 5:00 P.M. to 9:00 P.M.
and Sunday, August 2, 2015 from 12 Noon to 6:00 P.M. Advance voting will be conducted at
the Philippine Community Center, 4708 Van Horne Avenue, Montreal, Québec.
ARTICLE XVIII- COUNTING OF BALLOTS
Section 1 - Soon after closing of poll stations, ballot box(es) will be unlocked in the presence of
the COMELEC, the authorized representatives of each political party and each independent
candidate to witness the proceedings of counting the ballots.
Section 2 - Tabulation of the votes will be recorded in a chart located in full view of canvassers
during the process of ballot counting.
Section 3 – The chart will bear the following:
a) Heading - Election year (ex. ELECTION 2015 - TABULATION OF VOTES)
b) Date of the election
c) Official names (not nicknames or aliases) of all registered candidates
d) Party affiliation written beside candidate's name or "IND" if an independent candidate.
e) The Comelec Chairperson’s name will be written at the bottom of the chart:
Section 4 – After all ballots are counted, the chart will be signed by the COMELEC Chair who will
take possession of the chart for safekeeping and archiving.
COMELEC 2015 OFFICIAL RULES, REGULATIONS & PROCEDURES
Page 14 of 18
ARTICLE XIX– ELECTION RESULTS
Section 1 – Elections will be decided by a plurality of votes.
For purposes of the FAMAS elections, plurality means the number of votes that an election
winner gets, or the number exceeding the nearest rival, when no one has more than 50 percent
of the total votes cast.
Section 2 – Any candidate may appeal election results within 24 hours of the results being
announced. Appeals will be filed in person.
Section 3 - In case of a two-way tie in the same office, a recounting of votes for the office
involved will be held immediately. If the result is still a tie, the COMELEC will decide by toss of
coin in the presence of the candidates involved, and the winner shall then be declared elected.
Section 4 – If there are more than two tied candidates for the same office, the procedure is the
same as in Section 3, except that there will be as many tosses of coin as necessary. The ultimate
winner shall be declared elected. (Example: If presidential candidates X, Y and Z tied the election,
the first toss of coin shall be between X and Y. Then the second toss of coin will be between the
winner of the first toss and candidate Z. The winner in the second toss of coin shall then be
declared elected).
Section 5 – Candidates will be informed of the election results by any means possible, such as
e-mail, phone, FAMAS website, FAMAS Bulletin Board, words of mouth, etc.
Section 6 – Appeals will be adjudicated within 48 hours. Within 18 hours of an appeal being filed,
any candidate in the contested election may support or rebut the substance of the appeal. After
the COMELEC has ruled, its decision will be final.
Section 7 – Election results become official 24 hours after they were announced or the last
appeal is decided.
ARTICLE XX- COMMUNICATING WITH COMELEC
Section 1 - All paper forms must be submitted to the COMELEC at the FAMAS Community
Center.
Section 2 – All necessary forms and documents are available at the Committee on Elections
COMELEC 2015 OFFICIAL RULES, REGULATIONS & PROCEDURES
Page 15 of 18
Office at FAMAS Community Center at 4708 Van Horne Avenue, Montreal, Quebec H3W 1H7.
ARTICLE XXI– PENALTIES AND COMPLAINTS
Section 1 – Contravening the election rules outlined above, and those sections of the FAMAS
Constitution and Bylaws relating to Qualifications of the Executive Board and the COMELEC may
result in penalties or disqualification. The COMELEC reserves the right to issue multiple strikes
or non-standard penalties where appropriate.
Section 2 - Standard Penalties:
 First strike: Written formal warning.
 Second strike: Disqualification from the election.
Section 3 – Penalties shall be strictly enforced by the COMELEC, and all candidates are strongly
advised to consult the Committee if they are unsure of the rules. All candidates who gain
benefit from: the actions that are contrary to the Election Rules, Regulations and Procedures will
be held accountable and penalties will thus be applied.
Section 4 – Anyone may complain to the COMELEC on any matter pertaining to the elections.
Complaints must be received in writing, together with a statement setting out the nature of the
objection, to the COMELEC not later than 24 hours after the determination of the election.
ARTICLE XXII- REFUSAL, INCAPACITY AND DISQUALIFICATION OF WINNING CANDIDATES
Section 1 – If a winning candidate refuses to serve his or her supposed term of office, without
valid reason , he or she shall be banned from running for one term of office.
Section 2 – The aforementioned candidate shall also be barred from holding any appointive
office in FAMAS. However, he or she may maintain his or her membership if he or she so
desires.
Section 3 – In case of refusal to serve, death or disqualification of the winning candidate before
he or she is officially declared elected and/or inducted into office, the candidate who garnered
the second highest number of votes shall be proclaimed elected by the Comelec and be inducted
by the ex-officio in the presence of the Comelec.
COMELEC 2015 OFFICIAL RULES, REGULATIONS & PROCEDURES
Page 16 of 18
Section 4 – If the refusal to serve, death or disqualification of the winning candidate occurs
after the COMELEC has officially declared him or her elected and inducted, it becomes the sole
responsibility of the newly-elected Executive Board to deal with.
ARTICLE XXIII – SECURITY
Section 1 – The COMELEC shall deputize a person or group of persons as peacekeepers to
secure and maintain a fair, peaceful and orderly election.
Section 2 – The person or group of persons deputized as peacekeepers must wear the provided
identification tags while performing their task.
ARTICLE XXIV – OTHER BUSINESS
The COMELEC shall exercise its implied power to resolve any other matters involving the
conduct of elections not expressed in this document.
--END--
COMELEC 2015 OFFICIAL RULES, REGULATIONS & PROCEDURES
Page 17 of 18
CERTIFICATION
FAMAS COMMITTEE ON ELECTIONS 2015-2017
We, the duly-appointed members of the FAMAS Committee on Elections (COMELEC) 20152017, hereby officially declare and certify that the aforementioned elections, regulations and
procedures have been approved by the COMELEC at a meeting held on May 15, 2015 at the
Philippine Community Center located at 4708 Van Horne Avenue, Montreal, Quebec H3W 1H7.
Signed on this 15th day of May, 2015 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
Chairperson- Felix Salazar
Secretary- Tess Agustin
Members
1. Ricardo Ribaya
2. Mercy B. Galera
3. Manuel Lagasca
4. Edwin Rosete
5.
R. Cariño
COMELEC 2015 OFFICIAL RULES, REGULATIONS & PROCEDURES
Page 18 of 18